Bioethics: Analysis of Stem Cells - Science, Policy and Ethics Paper

This assignment provides a summary of the research article "Stem Cells: Science, Policy, and Ethics," which explores the potential of human embryonic stem cells for regenerative medicine and the ethical debates surrounding their use. The article highlights the scientific community's interest in stem cells' ability to repair damaged tissues and restore cellular function. It addresses the controversy arising from the destruction of preimplantation embryos to create new stem cell lines, focusing on the moral status of embryos and the need for informed ethical debate. The summary covers key concepts such as stem cell properties, adult and embryonic stem cells, somatic cell nuclear transfer, and current regulations. It also delves into ethical considerations, including differing views on when life begins and the importance of distinguishing between adult and embryonic stem cells. The author concludes by emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts among scientists, policymakers, and the public to navigate the complex ethical and scientific challenges in stem cell research, which is hindered by the current governmental regulations. Desklib is a platform where you can find many such solved assignments.

Running head: BIOETHICS
Bio-Ethics
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1BIOETHICS
Bioethics is an activity, it is a reflective and the shared examination of the ethical issues
that arise in health policy health science, health care. It has brought some of the vital changes in
the conduct of the research and the treatment of the sick. The healthcare professionals know that
the patients have the right to know what is being done to them and the patients have the right to
refuse (Nelson 2014). This assignment focusses on the bringing a summary out of a research
article titled “stem cells: science, policy and ethics”.
Abstract-The abstract of the article says that human embryonic stem cells provide the
immense opportunity for the regeneration of the damaged adult cells. Research is required in
order to identify the cell lines that are viable that and pluripotent and will help in cell
differentiation of the stem cell. The article also emphasizes that for the creation of the new cell
lines, it is vital to emliminate the preimplantation blastocysts. As a result of which a debate arises
that threatens to hinder embryonic stem cell research and the ethical issues that are raised has
called for a dispassionate and informed debate.
stem cell research- in the biomedical science only a few subject has captured the
attention of the general public and the scientific community regarding the fact that the stem cells
are capable of repairing the damaged tissues. The stem cells provide the best option for the
restoration of the cellular function and the repair of the several disorders exhibited by the
different individuals. At the present time, it has been seen that the new cell lines production
involves the preimplantation embryo destruction at the 100 to 200 cell stage. The main debate
that comes at the forefront is the embryo’s moral status and the way they are stored in the in vitro
fertilization (IVF) and the or created through the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The main
question that arises is with respect to the moral status of the embryos and should the blastocysts

2BIOETHICS
can be provided with the same protection that human subjects receive (Fischbach and Fischbach
2004).
Stem cell- stem cell has two properties, the first is that single cell divide to a large number
and can produce the population that are identical. The second is that the stem cell can undergo
the asymmetric division that produces two different daughter cell lines.
Stem cells in adult tissues- these includes the bone marrow, brain, liver, intestine and
skin. The cells of the bone marrow are extensively studied for a variety of the genetic markers,
cell surfaces.
Embryonic stem cells- the hESCs’ ability is to increase to a large number within a tissue
culture and it can give rise to a large number of the cell types. these cells have become valuable
because the in vivo it triggers their differentiation (Fischbach and Fischbach 2004).
Somatic cell nuclear transfer- the nucleus from a mature cell is inserted into the
cytoplasm of an oocyte in a SCNT from which the nucleus has been removed. The fusion of the
egg nuclei and a haploid sperm has led to the formation of a diploid chromosome. In SCNT,
however the chromosome originates from the donor nucleus.
Current regulations- The present condition says that it is no research on the
preimplantation and the human embryos can be supported through the federal funds. Researchers
need to perform research based on the funds obtained from the philanthropic sources, private
foundations and businesses.
Ethical issues- in the argument of an ethical issue, a value is considered as a function
rather than a structure. For many, the blastocyst implantation in the wall of the Uterus is the best
way to define a life. In this phase an individual can be distinguished and is the stage or the point

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in the subpart B of the 45CFR46 and this stage is covered by the rules of human protection. This
stage is considered as the final stage in the several countries as well as the United Kingdom.
Gastrulation is also considered a strong candidate for the research on the human embryos. This is
the stage during which formation of nervous system takes place and the development of the
sensation first fires up at this stage. The greatest problem in this debate is the offering of the
religious opinions in the disguise of science. The Authors have emphasised the differences
between the adult stem cell and embryonic stem cell. The reason is that the Congress and the
general public consider the two sources as identical. Richard Doerflinger, deputy director of the
US conference of the Catholic bishop has claimed that the in comparison to the embryonic cells,
adult stem cells holds more promise. Different types of the commissions have revealed that the
beginning of life has different sets of definition and it includes the President's Council of
Bioethics, National Academy of Sciences Advisory Committee, National Bioethics Advisory
Commission. Each of the committees has prevented any kind of research on the reproductive
cloning, the research on the SCNT has also been prevented by the President's Council. A clear
answer is not available regarding the blastocyst differentiation that produces the hESC lines. The
authors present different types of the considerations that support the usage of the embryos till the
14th day of fertilization. Until the 14th day of the blastocyst there is no development of the
nervous system and thus cannot be considered as sensate. The effort must go forward towards the
research that will find out the answer to the question and for that purpose, further research will
be required (Fischbach and Fischbach 2004).
Thus, from the above study, it can be concluded that researchers have been hindered by
the current governmental regulations. Scientific advancement in the past decade has resulted in
extraordinary discoveries and the process has been a fragile one. Each of the new discoveries

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made has raised further ramifications and questions. It will need a collaborative work of patient
advocates, health workers, physicians, scientists to remove all the controversies regarding the
stem cell research. This can be achieved when the government also plays a guiding and helping
role.

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Reference
Fischbach, G.D. and Fischbach, R.L., 2004. Stem cells: science, policy, and ethics. The Journal
of clinical investigation, 114(10), pp.1364-1370.
Nelson, H.L. ed., 2014. Stories and their limits: Narrative approaches to bioethics. Routledge.